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20060622 Thursday June 22, 2006

Washington, DC It looks like I'm going to be in Washington, DC on and off throughout the rest of the summer. Besides the regular touristy stuff, what's fun to do in this town? I'll be traveling with good friends from work, so I'm actually looking forward to the trip(s). Posted in General at Jun 22 2006, 11:45:51 PM MDT 20 Comments

Comments:

When I'm in DC, I like to go grab some food and/or booze in Adams Morgan. There are lots of nice bars and restaurants there. You can make a trip down to historic Alexandria, though that's kind of touristy. If you're really bored and need to buy stuff, there's a massive outlet mall just south of DC on I-95.

Posted by Pratik Patel on June 23, 2006 at 06:46 AM MDT #

http://www.washingtonian.com/dining/Profiles/tuneinn.html

Posted by 198.204.133.208 on June 23, 2006 at 07:16 AM MDT #

First of all, you could visit me, since I live in DC. But if I were you, I would check out Georgetown, which you can walk to from the Foggy Bottom Metro. Alexandria is nice, you can get there via the Metro too, via the King Street stop. My favorite restaurant there is the Chart House. If you have a bike (I guess you probably won't), there are a lot of good trails in Rock Creek Park. Have Fun!

Posted by Paul Barry on June 23, 2006 at 07:25 AM MDT #

We could organize a meetup of your readers in the area - talk about all things tech etc. The Brickskeller Dining House & Down-Home Saloon (http://www.thebrickskeller.com/ , http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=cityguide/profile&id=792636) is a nice place for this or otherwise for you to visit too - it has the "Worlds Largest Beer List"!

Posted by Pras on June 23, 2006 at 07:27 AM MDT #

oh oh, is this gonna mess up Raible Road Trip #10?

Posted by Lance on June 23, 2006 at 07:46 AM MDT #

Pras, thanks for the Brickseller recommendation - it sounds awesome.

"More than 1,000 varieties of beer await you at this legendary Dupont bar. No, that's not a typo."

I like the idea of a meetup too. Currently, we'll be there next week and the week of July 10th.

Lance - hell no! Raible Road Trip #10 is set in stone - I've already bought all the plane tickets and made all the arrangements. The only thing that'll mess that up is some disaster along the way - which is part of the fun with road trips!

Posted by Matt Raible on June 23, 2006 at 08:05 AM MDT #

I like the idea of a meet up too. How about Friday June 30th? Or are you travelling on Friday?

Posted by Paul Barry on June 23, 2006 at 08:13 AM MDT #

Can't do Friday. You guessed it, that's a travel day.

Posted by Matt Raible on June 23, 2006 at 08:25 AM MDT #

Ok, so Thursday? I'm available any day of the week except Monday.

Posted by Paul Barry on June 23, 2006 at 08:41 AM MDT #

Matt, I just returned from a week out there visiting family. Be sure to bring your shorts, it's hot hot hot. Brickseller is A+++. Otherwise, check out the Library of Congress - it's awesome, and should be cooler that anything outside. There's so much history there you really can't go wrong, unless you end up shopping - ugh. Don't shop. Fireworks on the Mall by the Washington Monument on July 4th are also quite excellent... bring some wine or beers and a blanket, the party starts at 5pm (take the metro in). Have fun.

Posted by Jason Thrasher on June 23, 2006 at 09:50 AM MDT #

I also endorse the 7/4 fireworks show. Get there early. Library of Congress, Archives and Smithsonian Air & Space are all great haunts. Here's one that's great and not as popular - check out Dunbarton Oaks. It's on the edge of Georgetown and it's an awesome museum and walking gardens. The story behind this place is one of love and dedication. It's also home to the infamous Dunbarton Oaks Peace Conference.... Talk to your Congressman or staffer and you can get a close up tour of the Capitol - and go down in the bowels and see Washington's crypt in the basement below the Capitol dome. It begs the question - who's buried in Washington's tomb? Good luck - and yes it is hot.

Posted by grego on June 23, 2006 at 10:53 AM MDT #

If you like music, there are free outdoor shows monday and thursday evenings (metro accessible): http://www.fortreno.com/

Posted by zznate on June 23, 2006 at 02:13 PM MDT #

Paul - it's probably best we decide which night after we arrive and figure out our workload for the week. We have plans for Monday night, so it'll probably be Wednesday or Thursday night.

Posted by Matt Raible on June 23, 2006 at 03:33 PM MDT #

I would love to take part in a meet up too. I live about 100 yards from the King Street metro....not that you have to schedule a place to meet near there. Matt, where are you guys staying? I can probably do Thursday but not Wednesday. I guess just let us know where and when fits best for you.

Posted by Mark Johnson on June 23, 2006 at 06:25 PM MDT #

Try the restaurant called Burma. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=cityguide/profile&id=791675 This is an amazing little restaurant. Two standouts from the menu: (1) They have a crazy good salad, whose dominant ingredient is TEA leaves (I think they're pickled). Delicious. And you get a little buzz after eating it. (2) Sour mustard plant, and/or sour bamboo shoots. You will like it. I think they may also have an edible fungus dish or two on the menu, which are really tasty -- but they smell bad. They may have taken this off the menu.

Posted by john on June 23, 2006 at 06:32 PM MDT #

Mark - we're staying at the Sheraton Reston Hotel. It looks a little fancy for my taste, but it's all that's available. We might try to catch an Orioles game one night (Nationals are out of town next week). Of course, it'll all depend on our work schedule, so we'll play it by ear. I'll make sure and post something Tuesday or Wednesday about what night works best for us.

Posted by Matt Raible on June 23, 2006 at 10:19 PM MDT #

Matt, I would also like to join the "meetup". Since your staying out in the 'burbs, you may also want to check out the Old Dominion Brewpub (in Ashburn). Great place, great beer. They just had a huge beer festival there this weekend, which I'm bummed that I missed because of another trip. BTW, if you're in Baltimore for an O's game, you should definitely check out Fells Point. Lot's of great bars there too :-)

Posted by Mark Helmstetter on June 25, 2006 at 03:32 PM MDT #

I know a bartender there at the Sheraton Reston hotel. That's right down the street from our office! Lots of stuff to do in that area if you know where to look!!

Posted by John Mark on June 25, 2006 at 10:13 PM MDT #

Another vote for the Brickskellar. I travel to DC fairly often on business (the the USDA) and always try to hit it one night. A ballgame at Camden yards is a good time although I found the crowd to be pretty subdued compared to other ballparks I've been in. I don't recall how far it is from the train station to the inner harbor but there's a train between Union Station and the station in Baltimore that is something like $6 one way. Definitely much better than driving the Baltimore-DC corridor. If an hour or so's drive isn't out of the question I thought Harpers Ferry was worth a visit.

Posted by John Fereira on June 26, 2006 at 06:06 AM MDT #

Hey Matt, D.C. is the turf I call home and would enjoy taking part in the meetup. I missed the chance to chat with you at the Thirsty Bear at JavaOne, so perhaps another try. Brickskeller rocks, but RFD (same owners) is actually considered to be better by many folks. Both places are right up my alley since I remain on the quest for the worlds greatest beer, so I know you will be right at home as well. Let us know which night and I will grab all my programming buds and head down. I will have them at "beer".

Posted by Dan Allen on June 26, 2006 at 11:52 PM MDT #

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Matt Raible is a Web Architecture Consultant specializing in open source frameworks.
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